This web site is all about Ponce De Leon. It goes into detail about when he arrived in Florida, his contact with the Indians and his return to Florida to build colonies. There are also a few pictures of what he looked like. I would probably use this web site for grades 4th through 5th.
I really liked this web site because it talks about Ponce De Leon exploring Puerto Rico. Many students know Ponce De Leon as a Florida explorer and I think it would be nice to show them he traveled other areas as well.
I visited the fountain of youth at age 8 as a student in the clay county school. I have an awful memory and I can not tell you one thing I learned in school that year. However I do specifically remember going to and learning about the fountain of youth. This web site is the web site of the actual fountain of youth. As a teacher I could use this web site in many different ways. If my students were going to be taking a field trip there I would show my class the web site before going to get them excited. If my students had already gone on a field trip I would show them this web site and have an open discussion about what they learned from the fountain of youth. If my students were unable to go on a field trip I would use this web site as a tool to teach them what it would be like to visit the fountain of youth.
Books
Title: Exploring the World; Ponce De Leon
Author: Ann Heinrichs
Summary:
This book may be too hard for young readers. However I like this book because it has a lot of great pictures. I could use this book in my classroom as visuals for teaching about Florida explorers. The book has paintings, maps and even pictures of what these areas look like today. Also this book is available online which makes it inexpensive. Ponce De Leon did not find the fountain of youth on his first try. The book goes into detail about his journey of finding the fountain of youth.
Title: The Little Pilgrim
Author: Brandi Dougherty
Summary:
This book is about a little girl who is a pilgrim who is too little to help with anything. Finally at the end of this book she finds someone little like her. I really like this book because it is great for young readers. Also the book goes through different chores and daily life of America’s first settlers. The book is great because it teaches students a good moral and it teaches students about the daily life of the settlers as well as visuals of what they wore and where they lived.
Title: Ponce De Leon; Exploring Florida
Author: Rachel Eagen
Summary:
I like this book because it is a little easier to read then the first book I found. Most of it is broken up into paragraphs with titles that are short, simple and too the point. For example, if a student was looking for information about Ponce De Leon’s childhood then the student could flip through the book until he found the title “Growing up”.
Title: Famous Explorers; Ponce De Leon
Author: Claud Hurwicz
Summary:
This book is excellent for younger students as well as older elementary students. The book has huge pictures and large print. There are also words in bold that students may not know. As a teacher I would define those bold words in class while going over the book.
Ashley Bowles
Websites:
1. St. Augustine for Kids __http://www.staugustine4kids.com/building/__
This site is designed for kids because the content is easy to comprehend and the site is easy to navigate. There is a list of “Places to Visit” where students can explore Fort Matanzas, The Castillo de San Marcos, The Old Jail, The Oldest House, The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, The Spanish Quarter, and Building the Oldest City.
2. The Castillo de San Marcos http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/castillo/castillo.html
This site is my favorite! It is designed for all ages and is very interactive. There are interesting questions/answers about fort. There is a visual glossary for the parts of the fort. A time machine is located under the link “A trip through time” which allows students to click on a time period and view what the fort looked like at a given time in history. The last part to this site is a virtual tour that allows students to click on a location, see a picture, and get information on that part of the fort.
3. NPS.Gov -Castillo de San Marcos __http://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm__
This is the official government site for Castillo de San Marcos. Here you can find the history behind the Castillo de San Marcos and information on the fort today.
1.Menendez: Pedro Menendez De Aviles, Captain General of the Ocean Sea
by: Albert C. Manucy
A complete and accurate biography of a leader whose ambition drove him to pursue adventure and conquest. This book is based on scholarly research but it is intended for education and enjoyment purposes.
2.Pedro Menendez de Aviles
by: Eugene lyon
A sourcebook that contains over 80 original articles and letters focusing on the life and times of Pedro Menendez de Aviles (1519-1574), Governor and Captain-General of Florida and founder of St. Augustine.
3.Pedro Menendez de Aviles (Latinos in American History)
by Russell Roberts
This is a book geared toward ages 9-12 which would be suitable to have in the classroom as a resource book the students could easily comprehend.
4.Castillo de San Marcos: A Guide to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Florida
by: National Park Service (U.S.) (Producer)
This book gives information about the historical site today and reviews the history of the Castillo de San Marcos along with Menendez.
Heather Carroll
Internet search · Florida KIDS http://www.flheritage.com/KIDS/history.cfm This website contains facts all about Florida. It has a section about Florida history that goes into depth about the explorers and settlers who came to Florida. The history time period is from the Stone Age to the Space Age.
· Augustine.com
Virtual tours of St. Augustine http://augustine.com/history/walkingtours.php This websites gives virtual tours of different parts of St. Augustine. From St. George’s Street to the Castillo de San Marcos, each picture has a caption explaining when it was built and the significance of each place.
· Cyber Slueth Kids
Explorers on the Web http://cyberslueth-kids.com/slueth/History/Explorers/index.htm This website would be helpful for the students when doing research on their explorer. It also has worksheets and activities the students can do for their explorer.
Books · The Spanish Exploration of Florida Written by: William Thompson and Dorcas Thompson
This book is about the 16th century exploration of Florida. It mentions the different explorers of Florida and the settlement of St. Augustine.
· For God, Gold, and Glory: de Soto’s Journey to the Heart of La Florida Written by: E.H. Haines
This story is about Hernando de Soto’s journey through Florida. It discusses the difficulties he faced and people he ran into there.
· Ponce de Leon: Discoverer of Florida Written by: Steven Otfinoski
This book is about Ponce de Leon and his journey on discovering and settling in Florida.
Candace Gier
Elizabethan Era http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/juan-ponce-de-leon.htm
This site has a short biography on Juan Ponce de Leon. The reason I chose this site was because of its timeline that chronicles his life and voyage. It takes all the facts and breaks them up chronologically. Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/deleon.shtml
Enchanted Learning is a great site that summarizes Juan Ponce de Leon’s journey to Florida. The site is also about a lot of other explorers. On the site, a small picture of Ponce de Leon’s trail shows students exactly how far and where he traveled to. Exploring Florida http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/lessons/de_leon/de_leon1.htm
This site, once again, has some more factual information about Juan Ponce de Leon. The thing it includes is some information on his stop in Puerto Rico. It also allows students to know about his later life, on the island and after, to his death. Fountain of Youth http://www.fountainofyouthflorida.com/
This is a site for the actual museum and tour that you can take today. I included this website because it gives students to see actual photos of where Juan Ponce de Leon landed. It also includes information for students, and teachers and parents, to read. Think Quest http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/ponce_de_leon.htm
This site is more basic information on Juan Ponce de Leon. I like it a little better though because its layout is more kid friendly. This site has a lot more color and it is broken up into sections.
Candace Gier Literature List Juan Ponce de Leon and the Search for the Fountain of Youthby Dan Harmon
Harmon tells an interesting story about Ponce de Leon by making it fun for students to read. The book is about his journey to Puerto Rico and Florida. Tons of helpful and colorful pictures line the pages to help students get great visuals. One last feature I loved was the glossary in the back of the book. Some uncommon words are thrown into the book and are bolded; each word is defined in the back! This is a nonfiction book, but it reads like a fiction journey! Life in St. Augustineby Sally Isaacs
This book tells of life in St. Augustine from 1513-1845. It is really neat because each set of pages is a different part. This book is particularly interesting because it tells how life was for children, schooling, and clothes. Not only does it talk about these things, but it shows it by the many pictures throughout. The book also includes a recipe for children to make of hot chocolate! Accidental Explorersby Rebecca Stefoff
This is an informational book about a lot of explorers from all over the world. A lot of information fills the pages, but some pictures can be found within. The coolest part is the end of the book in the “chronology” section. This is a timeline from 138 B.C. – 1925! Great Explorers: Juan Ponce de Leonby Tamara Green
This is a great information book on Ponce de Leon! It has all the information needed and more! Maps, quotes, artifact pictures, “did you know sections,” and a glossary are all encompassed within. This book is very colorful and interesting look for children and adults. The Spanish Exploration of Floridaby Bill and Dorcas Thompson
This book, of course, has information on Juan Ponce de Leon. One thing that is different about this book is its inclusion of the Timucuan people that first inhabited “La Florida.” It includes pictures and facts about these people and their daily lives. This book also has a chronology and a glossary section at the end.
Deanna Applewhaite
Book One:
Title: Florida (From Sea to Shining Sea, Second Series)
Author: Barbara A. Simervill
Brief Summary: This book gives current information about Florida, along with some of its history. This book is full of colorful pictures of places in Florida. In the table of contents individuals can see what is covered in this book. It gives geographical information, different kind of cultures and Florida involvement in various wars.
Book Two:
Title: Juan Ponce De Leon: Searches for the Fountain of Youth (Exploring the World
Author: Ann Hienrichs
Brief Summary: This is a biography on the Spanish explorer who first came to the New World with Columbus. It also talks about him coming to Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth. This book shows his significance to Florida and how important he is. There is other information about other places he encountered on his journey.
Book Three:
Title: Florida History
Author: Bob Knotts
Brief Summary: This book contains many fascinating, historical facts that tell the story of the state of Florida. You will learn about Florida's role in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and you'll find out why Florida is called the Sunshine State. It also provides an overview of Florida history, from pre-history to the present. Book Four:
Title: Hernando de Soto
Author: Kristin Petrie
Brief Summary: This book is a biography of the explorer, Hernando De Soto. It talks about his involvement in Florida, and what cities he discovered there. It also talks about other things he discovered, such as the Mississippi River.
Internet Site One:
Name: Exploring Florida
Address: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/default.htm Brief Summary: This website gives a lot of information about Florida, both history and present. It contains thousands of educational resources for students in the Social Studies class. It consists of FCAT like questions, teacher notes and reading strategies, and activity sheets for Florida history. On the teacher notes it has what Florida Sunshine State Standard that it covers, and its objective. These teacher notes are mini lessons plans that can help guide a teacher on what they should cover.
Internet Site Two:
Name: Florida Memory
Address: http://www.floridamemory.com/ Brief Summary: I clicked on the “About” to find out everything this website has to offer, because I knew it was much more than what I saw, and explored on the site. It said that “The State Archives of Florida is the central repository for the archives of Florida State Government. It is mandated by law to collect, preserve, and make available for research the historically significant records of the State, as well as private manuscripts, local government records, photographs, and other materials that complement the official State records. Florida Memory provides a web-based structure for primary records that illustrates significant moments in the state's history, provides educational resources for students of all ages, and makes available collections for historical research. Florida Memory utilizes original documents, photographs, and other materials from the collections of the State Library and Archives of Florida.”
Internet Site Three:
Name: Encyclopedia of World Biography: Hernando De Soto Address: http://www.notablebiographies.com/De-Du/de-Soto-Hernando.html Brief Summary: This gives a brief biography on Hernando De Soto. It talks about his conquests of Nicaragua (in Middle America) and Peru (in South America). De Soto explored parts of nine states in the southeastern part of the United States, and he was the first white man to cross the Mississippi River. It also gives information about the riches he collected and his involvement with Florida.
Web Sites
http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/lessons/de_leon/de_leon1.htm
This web site is all about Ponce De Leon. It goes into detail about when he arrived in Florida, his contact with the Indians and his return to Florida to build colonies. There are also a few pictures of what he looked like. I would probably use this web site for grades 4th through 5th.
http://bellsouthpwp.net/r/u/ruiz_b/PuertoRico/juan_ponce_de_leon.htm
I really liked this web site because it talks about Ponce De Leon exploring Puerto Rico. Many students know Ponce De Leon as a Florida explorer and I think it would be nice to show them he traveled other areas as well.
http://www.fountainofyouthflorida.com/history.html
I visited the fountain of youth at age 8 as a student in the clay county school. I have an awful memory and I can not tell you one thing I learned in school that year. However I do specifically remember going to and learning about the fountain of youth. This web site is the web site of the actual fountain of youth. As a teacher I could use this web site in many different ways. If my students were going to be taking a field trip there I would show my class the web site before going to get them excited. If my students had already gone on a field trip I would show them this web site and have an open discussion about what they learned from the fountain of youth. If my students were unable to go on a field trip I would use this web site as a tool to teach them what it would be like to visit the fountain of youth.
Books
Title: Exploring the World; Ponce De Leon
Author: Ann Heinrichs
Summary:
This book may be too hard for young readers. However I like this book because it has a lot of great pictures. I could use this book in my classroom as visuals for teaching about Florida explorers. The book has paintings, maps and even pictures of what these areas look like today. Also this book is available online which makes it inexpensive. Ponce De Leon did not find the fountain of youth on his first try. The book goes into detail about his journey of finding the fountain of youth.
Title: The Little Pilgrim
Author: Brandi Dougherty
Summary:
This book is about a little girl who is a pilgrim who is too little to help with anything. Finally at the end of this book she finds someone little like her. I really like this book because it is great for young readers. Also the book goes through different chores and daily life of America’s first settlers. The book is great because it teaches students a good moral and it teaches students about the daily life of the settlers as well as visuals of what they wore and where they lived.
Title: Ponce De Leon; Exploring Florida
Author: Rachel Eagen
Summary:
I like this book because it is a little easier to read then the first book I found. Most of it is broken up into paragraphs with titles that are short, simple and too the point. For example, if a student was looking for information about Ponce De Leon’s childhood then the student could flip through the book until he found the title “Growing up”.
Title: Famous Explorers; Ponce De Leon
Author: Claud Hurwicz
Summary:
This book is excellent for younger students as well as older elementary students. The book has huge pictures and large print. There are also words in bold that students may not know. As a teacher I would define those bold words in class while going over the book.
Ashley Bowles
Websites:
1. St. Augustine for Kids
__http://www.staugustine4kids.com/building/__
This site is designed for kids because the content is easy to comprehend and the site is easy to navigate. There is a list of “Places to Visit” where students can explore Fort Matanzas, The Castillo de San Marcos, The Old Jail, The Oldest House, The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, The Spanish Quarter, and Building the Oldest City.
2. The Castillo de San Marcos
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/castillo/castillo.html
This site is my favorite! It is designed for all ages and is very interactive. There are interesting questions/answers about fort. There is a visual glossary for the parts of the fort. A time machine is located under the link “A trip through time” which allows students to click on a time period and view what the fort looked like at a given time in history. The last part to this site is a virtual tour that allows students to click on a location, see a picture, and get information on that part of the fort.
3. NPS.Gov -Castillo de San Marcos
__http://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm__
This is the official government site for Castillo de San Marcos. Here you can find the history behind the Castillo de San Marcos and information on the fort today.
4. Historic Maps of St. Augustine
__http://www.augustine.com/history/z-map.php__
This site provides a timeline of maps of st. augustine from 1584-1992.
Books
1. Menendez: Pedro Menendez De Aviles, Captain General of the Ocean Sea
by: Albert C. Manucy
A complete and accurate biography of a leader whose ambition drove him to pursue adventure and conquest. This book is based on scholarly research but it is intended for education and enjoyment purposes.
2. Pedro Menendez de Aviles
by: Eugene lyon
A sourcebook that contains over 80 original articles and letters focusing on the life and times of Pedro Menendez de Aviles (1519-1574), Governor and Captain-General of Florida and founder of St. Augustine.
3. Pedro Menendez de Aviles (Latinos in American History)
by Russell Roberts
This is a book geared toward ages 9-12 which would be suitable to have in the classroom as a resource book the students could easily comprehend.
4. Castillo de San Marcos: A Guide to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Florida
by: National Park Service (U.S.) (Producer)
This book gives information about the historical site today and reviews the history of the Castillo de San Marcos along with Menendez.
Heather Carroll
Internet search
· Florida KIDS
http://www.flheritage.com/KIDS/history.cfm
This website contains facts all about Florida. It has a section about Florida history that goes into depth about the explorers and settlers who came to Florida. The history time period is from the Stone Age to the Space Age.
· Augustine.com
Virtual tours of St. Augustine
http://augustine.com/history/walkingtours.php
This websites gives virtual tours of different parts of St. Augustine. From St. George’s Street to the Castillo de San Marcos, each picture has a caption explaining when it was built and the significance of each place.
· Cyber Slueth Kids
Explorers on the Web
http://cyberslueth-kids.com/slueth/History/Explorers/index.htm
This website would be helpful for the students when doing research on their explorer. It also has worksheets and activities the students can do for their explorer.
Books
· The Spanish Exploration of Florida
Written by: William Thompson and Dorcas Thompson
This book is about the 16th century exploration of Florida. It mentions the different explorers of Florida and the settlement of St. Augustine.
· S is for Sunshine
Written by: Carol Crane
This book is an alphabet book with every letter standing for something related to Florida. Each page has facts and pictures related to Florida.
http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Florida-Alphabet-Discover-America/dp/1585360120
· For God, Gold, and Glory: de Soto’s Journey to the Heart of La Florida
Written by: E.H. Haines
This story is about Hernando de Soto’s journey through Florida. It discusses the difficulties he faced and people he ran into there.
· Ponce de Leon: Discoverer of Florida
Written by: Steven Otfinoski
This book is about Ponce de Leon and his journey on discovering and settling in Florida.
Candace Gier
Elizabethan Erahttp://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/juan-ponce-de-leon.htm
This site has a short biography on Juan Ponce de Leon. The reason I chose this site was because of its timeline that chronicles his life and voyage. It takes all the facts and breaks them up chronologically.
Enchanted Learning
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/deleon.shtml
Enchanted Learning is a great site that summarizes Juan Ponce de Leon’s journey to Florida. The site is also about a lot of other explorers. On the site, a small picture of Ponce de Leon’s trail shows students exactly how far and where he traveled to.
Exploring Florida
http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/lessons/de_leon/de_leon1.htm
This site, once again, has some more factual information about Juan Ponce de Leon. The thing it includes is some information on his stop in Puerto Rico. It also allows students to know about his later life, on the island and after, to his death.
Fountain of Youth
http://www.fountainofyouthflorida.com/
This is a site for the actual museum and tour that you can take today. I included this website because it gives students to see actual photos of where Juan Ponce de Leon landed. It also includes information for students, and teachers and parents, to read.
Think Quest
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/ponce_de_leon.htm
This site is more basic information on Juan Ponce de Leon. I like it a little better though because its layout is more kid friendly. This site has a lot more color and it is broken up into sections.
Candace Gier
Literature List
Juan Ponce de Leon and the Search for the Fountain of Youth by Dan Harmon
Harmon tells an interesting story about Ponce de Leon by making it fun for students to read. The book is about his journey to Puerto Rico and Florida. Tons of helpful and colorful pictures line the pages to help students get great visuals. One last feature I loved was the glossary in the back of the book. Some uncommon words are thrown into the book and are bolded; each word is defined in the back! This is a nonfiction book, but it reads like a fiction journey!
Life in St. Augustine by Sally Isaacs
This book tells of life in St. Augustine from 1513-1845. It is really neat because each set of pages is a different part. This book is particularly interesting because it tells how life was for children, schooling, and clothes. Not only does it talk about these things, but it shows it by the many pictures throughout. The book also includes a recipe for children to make of hot chocolate!
Accidental Explorers by Rebecca Stefoff
This is an informational book about a lot of explorers from all over the world. A lot of information fills the pages, but some pictures can be found within. The coolest part is the end of the book in the “chronology” section. This is a timeline from 138 B.C. – 1925!
Great Explorers: Juan Ponce de Leon by Tamara Green
This is a great information book on Ponce de Leon! It has all the information needed and more! Maps, quotes, artifact pictures, “did you know sections,” and a glossary are all encompassed within. This book is very colorful and interesting look for children and adults.
The Spanish Exploration of Florida by Bill and Dorcas Thompson
This book, of course, has information on Juan Ponce de Leon. One thing that is different about this book is its inclusion of the Timucuan people that first inhabited “La Florida.” It includes pictures and facts about these people and their daily lives. This book also has a chronology and a glossary section at the end.
Deanna Applewhaite
Book One:
Title: Florida (From Sea to Shining Sea, Second Series)
Author: Barbara A. Simervill
Brief Summary: This book gives current information about Florida, along with some of its history. This book is full of colorful pictures of places in Florida. In the table of contents individuals can see what is covered in this book. It gives geographical information, different kind of cultures and Florida involvement in various wars.
Book Two:
Title: Juan Ponce De Leon: Searches for the Fountain of Youth (Exploring the World
Author: Ann Hienrichs
Brief Summary: This is a biography on the Spanish explorer who first came to the New World with Columbus. It also talks about him coming to Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth. This book shows his significance to Florida and how important he is. There is other information about other places he encountered on his journey.
Book Three:
Title: Florida History
Author: Bob Knotts
Brief Summary: This book contains many fascinating, historical facts that tell the story of the state of Florida. You will learn about Florida's role in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and you'll find out why Florida is called the Sunshine State. It also provides an overview of Florida history, from pre-history to the present.
Book Four:
Title: Hernando de Soto
Author: Kristin Petrie
Brief Summary: This book is a biography of the explorer, Hernando De Soto. It talks about his involvement in Florida, and what cities he discovered there. It also talks about other things he discovered, such as the Mississippi River.
Internet Site One:
Name: Exploring Florida
Address: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/default.htm
Brief Summary: This website gives a lot of information about Florida, both history and present. It contains thousands of educational resources for students in the Social Studies class. It consists of FCAT like questions, teacher notes and reading strategies, and activity sheets for Florida history. On the teacher notes it has what Florida Sunshine State Standard that it covers, and its objective. These teacher notes are mini lessons plans that can help guide a teacher on what they should cover.
Internet Site Two:
Name: Florida Memory
Address: http://www.floridamemory.com/
Brief Summary: I clicked on the “About” to find out everything this website has to offer, because I knew it was much more than what I saw, and explored on the site. It said that “The State Archives of Florida is the central repository for the archives of Florida State Government. It is mandated by law to collect, preserve, and make available for research the historically significant records of the State, as well as private manuscripts, local government records, photographs, and other materials that complement the official State records. Florida Memory provides a web-based structure for primary records that illustrates significant moments in the state's history, provides educational resources for students of all ages, and makes available collections for historical research. Florida Memory utilizes original documents, photographs, and other materials from the collections of the State Library and Archives of Florida.”
Internet Site Three:
Name: Encyclopedia of World Biography: Hernando De Soto
Address: http://www.notablebiographies.com/De-Du/de-Soto-Hernando.html
Brief Summary: This gives a brief biography on Hernando De Soto. It talks about his conquests of Nicaragua (in Middle America) and Peru (in South America). De Soto explored parts of nine states in the southeastern part of the United States, and he was the first white man to cross the Mississippi River. It also gives information about the riches he collected and his involvement with Florida.